Homeowners book a roof inspection without much idea of what the visit involves, which makes it hard to tell a thorough one from a five-minute look. Knowing what actually happens during a roof inspection lets you judge the work you are getting.
Here is the sequence a proper residential inspection follows in North Texas, from the truck pulling up to the report landing in your inbox.
Before the Visit
There is not much you need to do, but a few things help. Clear a path to the attic hatch, unlock gates, move vehicles out of the driveway near the eaves, and make a note of anything you have noticed — a stain, a drip during a specific wind direction, granules in a downspout splash block.
Tell the inspector the roof's approximate age and whether it has been repaired or replaced during your ownership. Storm history matters too; if hail came through last spring, say so up front.
The Ground-Level Walk-Around
A good inspection starts on the ground, not on a ladder. Walking the perimeter, the inspector is reading the whole system:
- Gutters and downspouts for granule accumulation, dents, separation, and sag.
- Soft metals — vent caps, AC fins, window screens, garage doors — for hail dents that corroborate storm damage.
- Fascia and soffits for rot, staining, blocked intake vents, and animal entry.
- Walls and siding for wind or hail marks that indicate storm direction.
- Roof lines from a distance for sag, uneven planes, and shingle patterns visible only from back at the property line.
Half the story is often visible before anyone touches the roof.
On the Roof: Slope by Slope
Then the inspector gets up there and works methodically, one slope at a time, using enough foot traffic to see and no more.
In the field of the roof, they check granule coverage, shingle flexibility, blistering, curling, seal-strip bonds, exposed or backed-out fasteners, and any bruising consistent with hail. On a Texas roof, the difference between heat blistering and hail impact is one of the judgment calls that separates an experienced eye from a checklist.
At the edges and transitions, attention goes to drip edge, starter courses, rake edges, ridge caps, and hip lines — the areas where wind concentrates. Valleys get checked for debris, wear, and how the metal or weave is holding up.
Then the penetrations, which is where most leaks actually begin: pipe boots, chimney flashing and cricket, step and counter flashing along walls, skylight curbs, vent collars, and any equipment mounts. Each one gets looked at individually.
Ventilation gets counted, not glanced at. Intake at the soffits should be in balance with exhaust at the ridge or turbines, and a system that is out of balance shortens shingle life from underneath.
Inside the Attic
The attic is where an inspection either confirms or contradicts what the surface suggested. With the lights off, daylight through the decking shows holes. Dark streaks on rafters, rusted nail shanks, matted or stained insulation, and a musty smell all point to moisture that has been arriving for a while.
The inspector also looks at decking condition from below, checks for daylight at soffit vents, and looks for signs of past repairs. Our guide to attic inspection and roof health covers what those findings mean.
If your attic is inaccessible or the roof is unsafe to walk in current conditions, a good inspector says so rather than guessing.
Photographs and Documentation
Everything found gets photographed, and the photos are labeled by location — not a random handful of images, but a record you can match to specific slopes and penetrations.
This matters most when a storm is involved. If a claim follows, that photo set is the evidence of what the roof looked like and where the damage sits. Cannon Roofing documents damage and works alongside your adjuster; we are not public adjusters and we do not handle the claim for you, but thorough documentation keeps everyone looking at the same roof.
The Report and the Conversation After
You should end up with a written summary: findings by area, overall condition, what needs attention now, what can wait, and what to watch. Photos should be attached to it.
Then comes the conversation. A trustworthy roofer will tell you when a roof is fine, when a targeted roof repair is the right answer, and when replacement is genuinely the better path — without pressure and without a manufactured deadline. If you are unsure how often to repeat all this, our roof inspection frequency guide lays out a schedule for North Texas.
That is what a real roof inspection looks like, and it is what our factory-trained crews have been doing across Wise County since 1994.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a roof inspection take? Most residential inspections run from under an hour to a couple of hours, depending on roof size, pitch, complexity, and whether the attic is accessible. Storm-damage inspections take longer because every slope is documented in detail.
Does the inspector need to get into my attic? Whenever access allows, yes. The attic shows active leaks, daylight through the decking, rusted nails, wet insulation, and ventilation problems that are invisible from the roof surface. Clear a path to the hatch before the visit.
What do I get at the end of a roof inspection? A written summary with photographs: what was found on each slope and in the attic, what condition the roof is in overall, what needs attention now, and what can wait. You should also get a plain explanation of your options.
Ready to find out what shape your roof is in? Call Cannon Roofing at (940) 627-1045 or request a free quote. We inspect and document roofs across Decatur, Wise County & Greater North Texas.